A Daddy  Not A Father
by CheddarFetta
Summary: What happens when Zane Bennett becomes a Dad? Is it 'Like Father, Like Son? Zikki


**Here's a little one-shot that I made up after spending the day with my cousins on Wednesday. The little girl is based on my own cousin, who's only 2, and my Uncle when he got home. It was the cutest thing and I just had to make a story into it. I knew it wouldn't stop bugging me until I did. It'll be a one-shot for now, unless you guys want me to continue it...****

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"Tahlia Bennett! If you don't stop crying then you can go to bed!" Rikki Bennett firmly said to her mini-me 3 year old daughter.

The stubborn little girl was determined not to stop crying, because that meant giving in to someone else, and losing. Shaking her head wildly, light blonde curls bounced and cascaded everywhere.

Taking a deep breath, Rikki knew she had to be the firm one with her daughter. Her husband turned to putty whenever it came to the crunch-time with disciplining Tahlia, so it was all up to her.

"Tahlia, I said stop crying! One... Two..." and before the word 'three' could get out of her mouth, Tahlia let out a gasp; not in fear, but rather excitement.

Rikki turned around to face the entry of the lounge room and a familiar, tall, brunette guy walked into the room.

"DADDY!" Tahlia almost screamed as she pushed her herself off the lounge that she was sitting on, running as fast as her little legs would let her into the familiar arms that were held out, ready to catch her.

Rikki muttered "Always the way" as her daughter ran straight past her; any sign of the determined tears that she had been dealing with for the last half an hour, were long gone.

Zane's wide smile increased as he picked up the little girl that was catapulting herself to him.  
"Hey Princess!" he said as he whirled his daughter around in a circle, resulting in squealing laughter and a beaming smile.

Despite her frustration & annoyance over the last half an hour and the way as soon as her husband walked in, all was well with the world, Rikki couldn't help but smile at the sweet scene in front of her.

Even though the same thing had happened every day, Tahlia never lost any of her enthusiasm of when her Dad got home, Zane never lost the beaming smile of seeing the little girl and her excitement & recognition of him and Rikki never lost the smile of watching it all play out.

Zane stopped whirling Tahlia and walked over to Rikki. Covering his daughter's eyes, he kissed his wife.

Once they stopped, Zane removed his hand and as Tahlia sat in his arms, he noticed the small, wet tears on cheeks, dampening them with a slight glisten.

"Were you crying baby girl? What was the matter?" Zane said, gently wiping the tears off his daughter's cheeks with his thumb, pressing a kiss onto the top of her blonde curls when the tears were all gone.

"Tahls scared!" she informed him dramatically scrunching her face up in a concerned manner.

Rikki who was leaning on the wall about 4 metres away just simply rolled her eyes. "Mmm, Mum's pretty scary isn't she Tahls!"

"What did she do?" Zane asked Rikki, although biased over the little girl in his arms who in his opinion did and could do no wrong.

"More like what didn't she do! She wouldn't stop crying for half-a-freaking hour!"

"Watch it! Little ears!" Zane said covering his daughter's ears softly when her mother said the 'freaking' part of her frustrations.

"It's not a bad word Zane."

"Yeah but it's close to... that other word."

"You're so funny babe! She'll break a nail and you'll be taking her straight to emergency!"

"Nothing but the best for my girls" Zane said smiling, as Rikki rolled her eyes, while Tahlia was contently playing with the collar of her Dad's shirt.

"Daddy? Will you play with me?" Tahlia asked sweetly, her baby blue orbs piercing into his own chocolate brown ones.

"I think Daddy has work he needs to do Tahlia" Rikki said remembering Zane's stresses he'd been talking to her about this morning, as she put away a few of Tahlia's toys that she was playing with earlier, but had since long forgotten them.

"No, no. Of course Daddy will play with you. Work will wait, but I know you won't" Zane said speaking from personal experience with his own father.

He knew that work would always be there. Sure it needed attention, but not you're full attention, 100% of the time and at the end of the day. It was only work.

The little girl in front of him who was requesting his attention would be there now, and forever if he gave her the love & attention she was owed and needed, but if he neglected the attention she needed, then he would lose her just like his own father had lost him.

Ever since the day Rikki told Zane she was pregnant, he was determined not to turn out like his Dad. He was almost obsessive about being aware for his family and making sure he was there for them when they needed him and not drop everything and leave when something came up with work. He wanted to be a 'Daddy' to his child, not just a 'Father' like his own Dad was to him.

"Come on!" Tahlia said as she enthusiastically dragged Zane by the hand into her room.

"So what is it today? Animals? Colouring?"

"Nup! Barbies!" she exclaimed, passing Zane the 'Daddy Barbie' from her collection.

Zane sighed and accepted the doll, lying down on his stomach in front of his daughter's doll's house as she sat down next to him beaming.

There was tough times -like now for example- which required extreme amounts of self sacrifice & pride-swallowing, and then there were times that were just plain difficult.

Zane was facing the well decorated doll's house and after a minute, realized that she had stopped playing. He turned to face her and, doing so, the little girl giggled.

"What's up? Why aren't you playing sweetie?"

"Thanks you for playin wiv me. I loves you Daddy!" Tahlia said reaching to out for a hug, causing her Dad's heart to melt like butter.

And then there are those beautiful moments like now that you treasure forever, where all the self-sacrifice, difficulty and pain endured made it all worth it.

"It's okay baby girl. Daddy's always here for you."

Zane Bennett wasn't just a Father, a family member you couldn't choose, but all the hard work was worth it. To his daughter, he was a Daddy in the true sense of the word.

~~The End~~

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**Did you like it? What did you think? Please review, greatly appreciated!**


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